Banff has great idea regarding EBikes

[southy]

Came across this story regarding what Banff officials are planning. No push backs, no spandex bandits trying to flex there whatever, it's a good news story for Banff. And I applaud them. Hell of a lot better than how many million for a lake to lake bike lane.

Here is link
:https://www.rmotoday.com/banff/update-t ... aign=Email

[twobits]

With a million dollars potentially being available as a subsidy.....I can't help but think there might be some local pushback. Dunno the Banff mindset but that is a bunch of money some other residents think would be a better use for. Again, dunno.

[spooker]

E-bikes are a good option for many people, great to hear that Banff is looking to do this ...

The BC rebate program isn't as straightforward, mainly rebates offered to people who are scrapping their vehicles ... holding out hope that it will get better ... very glad they finally dropped the PST on e-bikes ...

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020TRAN0109-001308

Saanich is providing incentives for up to 300 people ...

https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/communit ... tives.html

There's an interior city that started offering incentives to municipal employees then after that was going so well they opened it up to the general population ... can't remember the name of the city but I'll find it after dinner and add it ...

[spooker]

It was Nelson, but not exactly the same type of program ... they offer low-interest loans to people to encourage e-biking ...

https://www.nelsonstar.com/news/nelson- ... ric-bikes/

[southy]

My wife has an ebike. She refuses to ride the lake to lake lane prefers kvr. Speaking of the ridiculous bike lane ....

[Steve-O]

There is a terrific bike path that connects Canmore and Banff. Been there for years, would be quite expensive to build today. Quite a few people that work in Banff, live in Canmore. this type of rebate could attract a number of people to leave the car at home and commute on an eBike. Less traffic in Banff and opens up parking which is an issue. May also help the job market as cost of housing is better in Canmore. Different scenario than the Penticton situation.

[spooker]

My wife has an ebike. She refuses to ride the lake to lake lane prefers kvr. Speaking of the ridiculous bike lane ....

Does she feel that she's gotten good value for her e-bike? if the incentive program had been available would she have the same bike or something better?

E-bikes are a great option for many people who wouldn't bike otherwise ... encouraging this from the government is laudable

[twobits]

It was Nelson, but not exactly the same type of program ... they offer low-interest loans to people to encourage e-biking ...

https://www.nelsonstar.com/news/nelson- ... ric-bikes/

Anyone who has been to Nelson BC should take note that it will take more than a 500 watt wheel motor to get you home from a trip to downtown. Most of the affordable bikes are 250 watt motors. Even a fully charged ebike would only make it 3 blocks without a tour de france athlete on the pedals for the 15 to 20% grade.
But good for them for offering the option. There is truth as well as reality in this story.

[skydawg]

It was Nelson, but not exactly the same type of program ... they offer low-interest loans to people to encourage e-biking ...

https://www.nelsonstar.com/news/nelson- ... ric-bikes/

Anyone who has been to Nelson BC should take note that it will take more than a 500 watt wheel motor to get you home from a trip to downtown. Most of the affordable bikes are 250 watt motors. Even a fully charged ebike would only make it 3 blocks without a tour de france athlete on the pedals for the 15 to 20% grade.
But good for them for offering the option. There is truth as well as reality in this story.

Are you talking pedal assist ebike or non pedal assist?

[spooker]

It was Nelson, but not exactly the same type of program ... they offer low-interest loans to people to encourage e-biking ...

https://www.nelsonstar.com/news/nelson- ... ric-bikes/

Anyone who has been to Nelson BC should take note that it will take more than a 500 watt wheel motor to get you home from a trip to downtown. Most of the affordable bikes are 250 watt motors. Even a fully charged ebike would only make it 3 blocks without a tour de france athlete on the pedals for the 15 to 20% grade.
But good for them for offering the option. There is truth as well as reality in this story.

I was in a meeting with a cyclist from Nelson last month and they talked about how the e-bikes are making some good progress locally though they would like to see more infrastructure to help separate modes… a 250w motor works well in a mid-drive configuration, better than rear-drive…

[spooker]

Saw this on my Twitter feed and wanted to pass it along ... these two pictures are from approximately the same place on Bear St in Banff ...

Before:

After:

Notice how they removed vehicle access period ... no parking, big stones in the roadway ... looks like that happened "before" the e-bike program came into play ... maybe Penticton will launch an e-bike incentive program after the lake-to-lake bike lane?

[twobits]

I was in a meeting with a cyclist from Nelson last month and they talked about how the e-bikes are making some good progress locally though they would like to see more infrastructure to help separate modes… a 250w motor works well in a mid-drive configuration, better than rear-drive…

Bull dung. A 250 watt e bike would not even get you 3/4 to the Duncan Store from Main st.. Pedal assist bike....maybe but you would need to be a bike riding muscle toned rider. No way in hades a 250 watt ehike is going to take mom gettin a cpl bags of groceries down at the IGA and back home again from Pine St without significant pedal assist.. And that would be downhill to the store all the way and an uphill grade only for the trip home.
And to buy a good ebike that might do that trip.........5k at least. You can buy a Used Jetta diesel for less and have ac and heat when ya need it. Windows and heated seats too. And you don't have to worry about following the 10 mill bike path to avoid mingling with the bug guts on the windscreen or grill.

[spooker]

I was in a meeting with a cyclist from Nelson last month and they talked about how the e-bikes are making some good progress locally though they would like to see more infrastructure to help separate modes… a 250w motor works well in a mid-drive configuration, better than rear-drive…

Bull dung. A 250 watt e bike would not even get you 3/4 to the Duncan Store from Main st.. Pedal assist bike....maybe but you would need to be a bike riding muscle toned rider. No way in hades a 250 watt ehike is going to take mom gettin a cpl bags of groceries down at the IGA and back home again from Pine St without significant pedal assist.. And that would be downhill to the store all the way and an uphill grade only for the trip home.
And to buy a good ebike that might do that trip.........5k at least. You can buy a Used Jetta diesel for less and have ac and heat when ya need it. Windows and heated seats too. And you don't have to worry about following the 10 mill bike path to avoid mingling with the bug guts on the windscreen or grill.

One of the best reviewed trishaws for Cycling Without Age has a 250w motor as a mid-drive pedal-assist model, 90Nm of torque to carry two passengers plus the pilot up a hill ... the Pentiction chapter has two of them and that's where I got to try it out ... I might have to take one out with me next time I visit Nelson to see how it performs there ...

https://triobike.com/en/models/taxi/taxi-mid-drive/

And actually you can get some well powered e-bikes from Ride1Up for around $1100 USD ...

https://ride1up.com/

Sure, a car would offer plenty of conveniences ... but then you have to pay for fuel, for maintenance, for parking ... it doesn't come for free ... and with the cost of living everything needs to be figured into the budget ...

[pentona]

I wonder how Banff plows their bike lanes in Winter (they get a lot more snow than we do)? E-bikes or any bikes won't likely be navigating our lanes today. Even those 6" high cement barriers will be invisible to vehicles, with the 8" of snow that Penticton has had overnight.

[rustled]

The pleasure lanes (those new ones on Martin etc.) were plowed next day. The commuter lanes on Government are still full of snow. And trash that was set out for pickup. Shows skewed priorities, IMO. As does having all of us help pay a rebate to the few who can afford the ebikes.